Tensions have run high as a cross-examination at a criminal trial relentlessly probed the inner workings of a Far North luxury resort.

The former operations manager of Carrington Resort, Belle Mumby, is facing a judge-alone trial in the Whangārei District Court before Judge Taryn Bayley.

Mumby is defending 14 charges of forging documents, obtaining by deception and theft, allegedly dating back to 2018 and 2019.

It is alleged Mumby photocopied Carrington Resort director and CEO Jing Ma’s signature on an overtime form and filed for payments to which she was not entitled.

It is also alleged she purchased several products for herself on the company account and sold a trailer and a post rammer, which is a machine for fencing, owned by the resort, for $3000.

Mumby claimed the allegations were made up by Ma and the incoming CEO at the time, William Tan, as a way to get rid of her from the resort.

Ma, a Crown witness, was on the stand giving evidence for much of last week, including under cross-examination by Mumby’s lawyer, Wayne McKean.

Jing Ma claimed none of the purchases Belle Mumby made were for the resort.

McKean questioned Ma through a Chinese interpreter, and, by day three, she was becoming visibly frustrated.

It is Mumby’s defence that Ma approved her signature for use on a photocopied document as she was never available at the resort to sign it herself.

Ma agreed there were periods when she was not at the resort but alleged there was never a conversation around the suggested procedure.

McKean put to Ma in various ways that she had agreed to the use of her photocopied signature.

“I do not agree. If I did that I would send her emails, for this way is too much trouble for me,” she said.

Thirty minutes later, as questioning continued around the signature, Ma told McKean he was going around in circles.

“I do not know why you asking questions over and over again,” Ma repeated.

McKean scrutinised the overtime records, arguing his client had rightfully earned the payments.

With the resort navigating peak season and still lacking a replacement for its departed general manager, McKean insisted the additional hours were justified.

The overtime covered key holiday periods, including Christmas 2018, as well as the Northland Anniversary weekend and Waitangi Day.

“You can’t dispute she worked every hour she claimed,” McKean put to Ma.

Ma mockingly questioned whether Mumby was “working hard” before alleging Mumby had been eating and drinking at the resort without paying.

“Not once, twice, three times, four times, five times. Many times,” Ma said.

“While she was here, the turnover was the lowest from the past, she could lie, but the data won’t lie.”

‘I don’t remember’

On day three of her cross-examination, McKean said the resort had reportedly lost many of the purchase order books Mumby used, except the one provided in evidence.

“Has Carrington claimed to have lost the other purchase order books for Belle Mumby?” McKean asked.

“I don’t remember,” the interpreter relayed for Ma.

“I don’t know where they preserve things.”

McKean then began a lengthy questioning about Mumby being given authority to purchase items for the resort.

“If there is a need, I would ask her to buy it. Other than daily things, she can write a purchase order and purchase if I did not say there was an issue.”

McKean went through a list, justifying each purchase, including a Dyson fan, a toothbrush charging dock, a Fuji Instax and a surveillance camera kit.

Ma insisted the resort used fixed air conditioning systems, not Dyson fans, and then asked McKean whether he had ever been to the Far North.

She was reminded by Judge Bayley, it was the lawyers who did the questioning.

Ma said the resort only used commercial surveillance cameras and Mumby had purchased a home unit from Noel Leeming and alleged she had taken it home with her.

“This question has been answered already this way, she’s stealing,” she alleged.

When McKean explained that Mumby purchased the Instax camera to take photos of clients at resort events, Ma laughed.

“We’ve never had this, we have professional cameras and our guests have phones,” Ma said.

“We pay her $45 an hour for her to take photos for guests? That’s not professionally organised, that’s nothing to do with the event. Answer finished.”

The trial continues.

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.